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Baking wild garlic bread yourself is easy with this vegan recipe, even as a baking beginner:in. You can pick the spicy herb yourself in many parks and forests during the wild garlic season.

The vegan wild garlic bread with spelled flour not only tastes good for dinner, but is also an excellent accompaniment to a cream soup. The recipe is not very complex, but needs a bit more preparation time due to the rising time.

Wild garlic bread: recipe and preparation

Ingredients:

0.5 cubes of fresh yeast
150 ml lukewarm water
500 g spelled flour (type 630)
10 g salt
5 gsugar
150 ml oat drink
2 tbsp olive oil
50 g fresh wild garlic leaves

Directions:

Dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm water.
Put the spelled flour in a mixing bowl and add the salt and sugar.
Pour in the yeast water, the oat drink and the olive oil and mix all the ingredients together well.
Knead the dough with the dough hook of a food processor or a hand mixer until it gets a smooth and silky surface. This can take ten to 15 minutes. The longer you knead, the nicer the structure of your wild garlic bread will be later. Tip: If you don’t have a food processor, you can also knead the yeast dough by hand. You should take at least 15 minutes to do this.
Cover and let the ball of dough rest in a warm place for about 60 minutes. During this time, its volume should double.
Towards the end of the resting time, wash the wild garlic leaves and chop them roughly.
Knead the bread dough thoroughly with the chopped wild garlic and divide the dough into four parts.

Shape each of the pieces into a roll 10 to 12 inches long. Twist two rolls of dough together and place them on a baking sheet greased with olive oil.

Bake the two wild garlic breads in the oven at 220 degrees Celsius top and bottom heat for 20 to 30 minutes until light brown.
Allow the wild garlic bread to cool before serving.

Wild garlic bread: tips for preparation

With just a few changes, you can easily vary the recipe for wild garlic bread:

If you use dry yeast, you need a whole packet for the wild garlic bread.
As an alternative to the simple twisted braid, you can also bake the wild garlic bread in a greased and floured loaf tin.
Finally, knead a handful of sunflower seeds into the dough, then the wild garlic bread has a bit more bite.
Sprinkle the wild garlic bread with sesame seeds before baking. Not only does it look pretty, it also tastes delicious.
For a Mediterranean flavor, chop a handful of sun-dried tomatoes and mix them into the batter.
Depending on the season, you can use other herbs instead of wild garlic, e.g. rocket, basil or herb mixtures.
Use up your bread as quickly as possible – it tastes best fresh!

Tip: Your freshly baked wild garlic bread tastes best if you spread it with homemade wild garlic butter.

Ingredients for your wild garlic bread

Depending on the region, the wild garlic season in Germany begins in early to mid-March. Wild garlic is one of the most popular wild herbs in local cuisine. The leaves contain valuable essential oils, as well as vitamin C and minerals such as iron, manganese and magnesium.

It is best to harvest wild garlic yourself and process it fresh. Wild garlic wilts quickly and tends to mold, which is why you rarely find it in the supermarket. Alternatively, you can buy it at the farmer’s market or from regional direct suppliers.

Use organic spelled flour for the wild garlic bread: It is free of pesticides and you support ecologically sustainable agriculture. Also pay attention to regional cultivation: products from the region have shorter transport routes and are therefore better for the climate.

Tip: Wild garlic bread can also be frozen well. It’s best to freeze it in slices, then you can thaw them individually in the toaster or on the grill and roast them until crispy.

If you dry wild garlic, you can also use the delicious wild herb out of season. Here you can find out how you can dry wild garlic yourself and what you should consider.

It is worth drying wild garlic. The weed is only fresh and ready to harvest in spring, but you can use it dried all year round.

Wild garlic normally grows outdoors as a weed. But you can also plant wild garlic in the garden. Find out beforehand when wild garlic season is.

To dry wild garlic, you have two options: let the leaves dry in the air or in the oven. We recommend that you air-dry the wild garlic if possible to save energy.

Dried wild garlic can be kept for a few months if you store it in a dry place that is protected from light.

Wild garlic dry in the air: This is how you do it

How to air dry wild garlic:

Wash the leaves and gently pat dry with a kitchen towel.
Tie the leaves at the stems into a small bouquet. Use a cord made of natural materials, such as raffia, or kitchen twine.
Hang the bouquet in a dark and dry place. Make sure the place doesn’t have high humidity.
Let the wild garlic dry for about a week or two.
Pick up the dried bouquets. If necessary, you can crumble the wild garlic or keep it in the form of a leaf. Store the dried wild garlic in a dry and cool place, preferably in an opaque container.
Tip: You can tell if the leaves are done drying by the fact that they rustle when they rub against each other. You can also easily rub the dried leaves between your fingers and snap off the stems.

Dry wild garlic in the oven

If you don’t have a suitable place for air drying, you can alternatively dry the wild garlic in the oven. However, this process is very energy-intensive.

How to do it:

Wash the leaves and gently pat dry with a kitchen towel.
Remove the stalks from the wild garlic leaves.
Spread them out on a wire rack or baking sheet so they don’t touch each other
Set the oven to 40 degrees Celsius and put the tray in the oven.
Leave the door slightly ajar to allow the moisture to escape.
Turn the leaves regularly so they dry evenly.
After three to four hours, the leaves should be dry. However, check the degree of drying regularly beforehand to avoid burning the leaves.

Use dried wild garlic

Wild garlic is a popular herb for cooking and seasoning. The taste is reminiscent of garlic and gives your food a subtle spiciness. Use your dried wild garlic in a variety of ways in the kitchen.

Make your own wild garlic butter or wild garlic soup. Dried wild garlic is also a suitable spice for wild garlic bread or wild garlic dumplings, or you can use it to refine a wild garlic pizza.

The wild garlic spread tastes spicy and fresh. It fits well into spring and brings variety to your bread. Here we present you a recipe with only five ingredients.

The wild garlic spread is a recipe for spring – because then the wild garlic season begins. Wild garlic tastes similar to garlic: spicy and slightly hot. The wild herb goes well in light dishes, you can combine it with other spring vegetables. For example, wild garlic pesto tastes particularly good with green asparagus. You can discover more spring vegetables in our seasonal calendar.

When buying your products for the wild garlic spread, pay attention to organic quality. When it comes to dairy products in particular, it is important to ensure species-appropriate husbandry. A good point of reference are the seals of the organic associations Demeter, Naturland and Bioland. If possible, choose your groceries from regional retailers to avoid long transport routes and the associated high CO2 emissions. If you want to harvest the wild herbs right in your garden, then simply plant wild garlic yourself.

Make wild garlic spread yourself

Ingredients:

100 g fresh wild garlic
1 clove(s) garlic (optional)
300 g cream cheese
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp olive oil
1 pinch(s) salt (optional)
1 pinch(s) pepper (optional)

Directions:

Wash the wild garlic and pat dry. Set aside some leaves for the garnish at the end.
Peel the garlic clove. If the wild garlic is already spicy enough for you, you can also omit the garlic.
Put all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix them with the immersion blender or hand mixer to an even cream.
Season the spread with salt and pepper as needed.

Chop the remaining wild garlic leaves and sprinkle over the spread before serving.

The vegan variant for the wild garlic spread

Make the wild garlic spread without any animal products and use a vegan alternative instead of cream cheese:

  • Cashew cream cheese
  • Vegan cream cheese
  • Vegan cottage cheese
  • Vegan yogurt

Tip: Serve the spread with fresh wild garlic bread, for example.

With wild garlic flower recipes you ensure culinary variety in spring. You can harvest the flowers from May. Here are three simple recipe ideas.

Wild garlic is in season in Germany from the end of March to the end of May. In late April and early May, the aromatic herb begins to bloom for two to three weeks – and these delicate wild garlic flowers are edible.

You can collect wild garlic and wild garlic blossoms yourself in spring in many places. In another article you will find out what you should consider when harvesting wild garlic.

When it comes to the ingredients for the wild garlic flower recipes, make sure they are organic if possible. You are supporting ecologically more sustainable agriculture that treats the earth’s natural resources with care. The organic seals from Demeter, Bioland and Naturland are particularly recommended, as they require stricter criteria than the EU organic seal.

Wild Garlic Blossom Recipes: Pesto

Wild garlic blossom pesto gives pasta dishes a fresh and aromatic note. Preparation is easy and doesn’t take long. Important: The pesto has to steep for at least four weeks before you can use it.

Unopened, the wild garlic blossom pesto can be stored in the refrigerator for up to four weeks. Opened jars should be used within a week.

Ingredients:

5 handfuls of wild garlic flowers
1 tbsp pine nuts
5 tbsp olive oil
3 tsp salt
1 pinch(s) of pepper

Directions:

Wash the wild garlic flowers carefully but thoroughly. Remove their stems. Chop the pine nuts. Place both ingredients in a medium-sized bowl.
Add about half the olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix the ingredients together until the wild garlic pesto has a slightly mushy consistency.
Put the wild garlic pesto in a sterilized jar that you can seal airtight. Cover it with the remaining olive oil. Important: Let the pesto sit for four to eight weeks before using it.

Wild Garlic Blossom Recipes: Aromatic Oil

The preparation of wild garlic blossom oil is also very easy. This herbal oil goes well with pasta, vegetable dishes or to flavor herb quark. You should plan some time again, because the oil also has to steep for at least four weeks before it is ready for consumption.

Unopened and protected from light and heat, wild garlic blossom oil can be kept for up to six months. Opened oil should be used up within six weeks.

Ingredients:

1 handful of wild garlic blossoms
100 ml rapeseed oil
1 pinch(s) of pepper

Directions:

Wash the wild garlic flowers carefully but thoroughly. Remove their stems. Then place them on a clean tea towel and pat them as dry as possible.
Put the wild garlic blossoms together with the rapeseed oil and the pepper in a sterilized jar that you can seal airtight. Brown glass is particularly suitable because it protects the herbal oil from environmental influences and thus extends its shelf life. The wild garlic blossoms should be completely covered by the oil.
Let the wild garlic blossom oil steep in as dark a place as possible for four weeks. Strain the wild garlic blossoms before using the oil.

Wild garlic blossom vinegar

Wild garlic blossom vinegar is prepared in a similar way to the oil. The herbal vinegar is well suited for quick salads. With this recipe, too, you have to allow three to four weeks for the vinegar to steep.

Wild garlic blossom vinegar can be kept unopened for up to five years. Once opened, you should use it within six months.

Ingredients:

1 handful of wild garlic blossoms
100 ml white wine vinegar colored peppercorns

Directions:

Wash the wild garlic flowers carefully but thoroughly. Remove their stems. Then place them on a clean tea towel and pat them as dry as possible.
Put the wild garlic blossoms together with the white wine vinegar and the peppercorns in a sterilized jar that you can seal airtight. The wild garlic blossoms should be completely covered by the vinegar.
Let the wild garlic blossom vinegar steep for three to four weeks. Then strain the wild garlic blossoms and peppercorns and fill the vinegar into a clean bottle.

Wild garlic blossoms as an aromatic ingredient

You can also use wild garlic blossoms in their unprocessed form as an ingredient for various dishes. For example, you can mix the washed flowers with fresh wild herb salads or decorate various dips with them.

Introduction: Estonian Cuisine & Foraging

Estonian cuisine is deeply rooted in the country’s natural environment, and foraging plays a significant role in the dishes prepared by the locals. Surrounded by forests and coastline, Estonia is rich in wild ingredients such as berries, mushrooms, herbs, and fish. The country’s cuisine is a reflection of its history, culture, and geography, with traditional dishes that have been passed down through generations.

Historical Significance of Foraging in Estonia

Foraging has been a part of Estonian culture for centuries, with people relying on the natural resources available in their surroundings. In the past, foraging was not just a way to gather food, but also a means of survival during harsh winters and difficult times. The knowledge of wild ingredients and their uses was passed down from generation to generation, with each family having their own secret recipes. Today, foraging continues to be an important part of Estonian cuisine, connecting people to their land and heritage.

The Influence of Wild Ingredients in Estonian Cuisine

The use of wild ingredients in Estonian cuisine is not just a trend, it is a fundamental aspect of the cuisine. Wild ingredients such as berries, mushrooms, and herbs can be found in almost every Estonian dish, adding unique flavors and textures. Many traditional dishes are made with wild ingredients, such as mushroom soup, berry pies, and herb-infused spirits. Foraging also plays a role in the production of artisanal products such as honey, jams, and teas.

Wild Berries, Nuts, and Mushrooms in Estonian Dishes

Wild berries, nuts, and mushrooms are some of the most commonly used wild ingredients in Estonian cuisine. Berries such as lingonberries, blueberries, and cranberries are used in sauces, desserts, and drinks. Nuts like hazelnuts and walnuts are used in bread, cakes, and as a topping for salads. Mushrooms, including chanterelles and porcini, are used in soups, stews, and main dishes. These ingredients are often gathered in the wild and used fresh or preserved for later use.

Hunting & Fishing Traditions in Estonian Cuisine

Hunting and fishing have been an important part of Estonian cuisine for centuries. Fish such as perch, pike, and herring are popular in Estonian cuisine, often smoked or pickled. Game meat, including elk, boar, and deer, is also used in traditional Estonian dishes such as roast venison and wild boar stew. These ingredients are often paired with wild herbs and berries to create unique and flavorful dishes.

Foraging Today: Sustainable & Local Ingredients

Foraging continues to be an important aspect of Estonian cuisine today, with a growing emphasis on sustainability and local ingredients. Many restaurants and home cooks source their ingredients from nearby forests and fields, supporting local economies and reducing their carbon footprint. Foraging also promotes a connection to the natural world and a respect for the environment.

Culinary Techniques for Wild Ingredients in Estonian Cuisine

Culinary techniques used for wild ingredients in Estonian cuisine vary depending on the ingredient and the dish. Berries and herbs are often used to make syrups, jams, and liqueurs. Mushrooms are sautéed, pickled, or used in soups and stews. Fish and game are smoked, grilled, or roasted. The use of traditional techniques such as smoking, pickling, and fermenting is also common in Estonian cuisine, adding depth and complexity to the flavors.

Future of Estonian Cuisine: Embracing Foraging & Wild Ingredients

The future of Estonian cuisine looks bright, with a growing interest in foraging and wild ingredients. As people become more conscious of where their food comes from and the impact of their choices, there is a renewed appreciation for the natural resources available in Estonia. Foraging and wild ingredients are not just a trend in Estonian cuisine, they are a part of the country’s identity and heritage. As Estonian chefs and home cooks continue to experiment with these ingredients, the cuisine will continue to evolve and delight diners around the world.